RESTRAINT SYSTEMS AND THE LAW

Mandatory legislation in regard to occupant restraint in many jurisdictions is briefly reviewed and compared. Mandating seat belt use has been shown in many jurisdictions to be the most effective immediate way of significantly reducing death and severe injuries resulting from motor vehicle collisions. Historically tort law has played an important role in deterring certain types of conduct. It appears that if the common law continues to develop by itself, the seat belt defence will be increasingly recognized by the courts in assessment of contributory negligence. If seat belt defence is to be recognized by law, such statutes should be broad rather than restrictive to provide just penalty for unreasonable behaviour on the part of an individual by which he contributes to injuries caused him by someone else's negligent acts.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • "The Human Collision", International Symposium on Occupant Restraint, June 1-3, 1981, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Association for Automotive Medicine

  P.O. Box 222
  Morton Grove, IL  United States  60053
• Authors:
  • Green, R N
  • Sharpe, G S
• Conference:
  • "The Human Collision", International Symposium on Occupant Restraint, June 1-3, 1981, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
• Publication Date: 1981

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 87-97

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Fatalities; Injuries; Law enforcement; Legal responsibility; Restraint systems
• Old TRIS Terms: Occupant restraint
• Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00348764
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding, HS-032 369, HS-032 370
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Apr 28 1982 12:00AM